MS in Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership | University of San Diego

We couldn't close out the Fall semester without proudly announcing the Fall 2024 LEPS 550 awardees of the prestigious Phil Collum Award for Leadership & Academics Award. Each awardee was selected by their respective faculty member for the course, having demonstrated academic excellence and mentorship to their peers, in addition to engaging robustly in course discussions. These students help make the LEPSL program better for all students, and we are honored to give them a big shout out and congratulations! Thank you for always bringing your A game - Your faculty and peers appreciate you! 👊 Detective Ryan Diener, Baltimore PD (selected by Tory Kornblum) 👊 Officer Antoine Dykes, DHS (selected by Thomas Chaplin) 👊 Deputy Aldo Guereca, Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. (selected by Patrick Norris) 👊 Deputy Chief Jason Edwards, Greeley PD (selected by Erik Fritsvold) 👊 Lieutenant Margarito Jacquez, Chino PD (selected by Erik Fritsvold) 👊 Denise Joseph (Denise J.) Kaiser Corporate Security (selected by Bernie Colon) 👊 Lieutenant Jamison Maehler (Jamison M.), Seattle PD (selected by James Davis) 👊 Detective Sergeant Sig Neri, Suisun PD (selected by Duane Voss) 👊 Sergeant Tristan Ward, ECU Health PD (selected by Brian Goldberg) 👊 Chief Probation Officer Marlon Washington, Marin County Probation (selected by Mickey Williams, Esq., MPA) #LEPSL #leadership #mastersdegree #lawenforcement

Hearty congrats go out to two of our LEPSL graduates this week! El Cajon Police Chief Mike Moulton (LEPSL Class of 2024) celebrated his retirement after 29 years of dedicated service to the El Cajon Police Department. Taking over as Chief of the department is a LEPSL grad from our second cohort of students... Jeremiah Larson (Class of 2017). His promotion will be effective on December 18, with his swearing in on January 14th From the City of El Cajon announcement: Larson, who grew up in El Cajon and graduated from Granite Hills High School, joined his hometown agency in 2002. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2014, Lieutenant in 2019, and Captain in 2023 before being selected by El Cajon City Manager Graham Mitchell to become the City’s 16th Chief of Police. Outgoing Chief Mike Moulton said, “Today, I’m excited to celebrate Captain Jeremiah Larson to succeed me as your next Chief of Police. This decision reflects his exceptional qualifications and the trust and confidence placed in him to lead our department into the future. Throughout his career, Captain Larson has demonstrated an unwavering work ethic and a steadfast commitment to the values of our department. His leadership abilities have been evident in every role he has taken on. I am confident he will continue to serve our community and this department with integrity, vision, and dedication.” It's an exciting time for the City of El Cajon!

Looking to create a model wellness program for your agency? Chief Jim Munro of the Grover Beach Police Department (LEPSL Class of 2020) will be happy to show you the grant-funded John Peters Wellness Center that is part of their agency's world-class wellness program. Pickleball, anyone?

When City of Pinole Police Chief Neil H. Gang (LEPSL Class of 2023) retired in September, he left some large shoes to fill. So we couldn't be more thrilled to announce that another member of our LEPSL community, Melissa Klawuhn (Class of 2022) was selected to lead the department as its new Chief. She officially begins her duties in January. Chief Klawuhn began her public safety career in 2001 with the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff, where she has served in various capacities, advancing through the ranks of Criminalist, Deputy Sheriff, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and Assistant Sheriff. Most recently, she oversaw the Field Operations Bureau, managing over 375 personnel across Patrol, Investigations, and Special Operations, including services for the contract cities of Danville, Lafayette, and Orinda. From the City of Pinole's website announcement: "Throughout her career, Chief Klawuhn has developed a holistic approach to policing, with expertise in strategic planning, resource management, grant funding, and community-focused initiatives. She is deeply committed to fostering a healthy organizational culture, mentoring future leaders in law enforcement, and integrating technology to enhance transparency and service efficiency." The website also mentioned that her "commitment to transparency, community-focused policing, creating programs for mental health outreach and support, creating programs to mentor women in law enforcement, and fostering positive relationships, made her the ideal choice." We couldn't agree more! Congratulations Chief Klawuhn, Retired Chief Gang, and the City of Pinole! Listen in to Chief Klawuhn on the Blue Leadership podcast here: https://lnkd.in/gKZqW37M

🚀✨ Randal Moody, M.S. LEPSL emphasizes that unlocking your leadership skills is essential for personal and professional growth! 🌱 Whether you’re leading a team or inspiring change, effective leadership starts with self-awareness and continuous learning. Embrace challenges, foster collaboration, and watch your potential soar! Let’s invest in our leadership journeys together! 💪💼 #LeadershipDevelopment #GrowthMindset #RandallMoody #UnlockYourPotential #Inspiration

Congratulations to LEPSL faculty member Tarrick McGuire, DPA, who will be sworn in as Chief of the City of Alexandria Police Department on Monday, Nov. 25. Chief McGuire has 11 years of command-level experience, most recently with the Arlington (TX) Police Department. He created Mentoring Arlington Youth (which received national recognition from the DOJ's COPS Office), implemented crime reduction strategies and directed the Safe Roads Initiative, among other successes. His career achievements (too many to mention them all!) include: ✨ Appointed as an IACP Law Enforcement Fellow for the National 21st Century Policing Reform initiative ✨ Appointed to the Council on Police Reform and Race by the National Police Foundation (now the National Policing Institute) in Washington ✨ Inducted into the Evidence-Based Policing Hall of Fame ✨ Named one of the top 40 under 40 most progressive police leaders in the world by International Association of Chiefs of Police ✨ Recipient of the Anthony L Sutin Department of Justice COPS Office Award for his work in community police relations and the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Governmental Leadership He also collaborated with police departments nationwide, the Department of Justice, and the Obama Administration to implement the recommendations of the 21st Century Task Force on Policing. Chief McGuire holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from California Baptist University, an MA from Criswell College, and a BA from Oklahoma State University. Warmest congratulations to both Chief McGuire and the City of Alexandria 👏 👏 #policechiefs #leadership

Today, LEPSL faculty member #1, Taurino Valdovinos, will be sworn in as Chief of Police for the City of Oceanside, CA. Taurino was the very first law enforcement professional to generously offer his time and expertise when USD was initially exploring the idea of the MS-LEPSL program back in 2013. From the beginning, he was instrumental in helping to shape the program, and over the years he has continued to contribute to the program's cutting edge curriculum, especially related to gangs, human trafficking and leadership. Chief Valdovinos is a graduate of both the FBI National Academy and the San Diego County Regional Leadership Institute. Quoting from the Coast News: Valdovinos, who joined OPD in 2003, has held various roles across the department, including positions in patrol, neighborhood policing, gang suppression, and undercover work in the Special Enforcement Section as a court-certified gang expert. He has also served as a SWAT team member and Force Options Training Simulator instructor. In 2013, he was promoted to sergeant, where he took on roles as a patrol supervisor and later as the leader of the neighborhood policing team. In 2015, Valdovinos rose to lieutenant, serving in each of OPD’s three divisions. As a lieutenant, he also served as the department’s bilingual public information officer and launched the Oceanside Youth Partnership, a mentoring program aimed at supporting at-risk youth. Valdovinos was promoted to captain last year, overseeing the Support Operations Division, before advancing to assistant chief in December. Chief Valdovinos was born in Mexico, raised in North County San Diego, and graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1995. FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. (FBINAA) California Police Chiefs Association

The LEPSL program would like to shine a bright light on faculty member Jonni Redick, Ed.D., who was one of several law enforcement professionals honored at last week's Achievers Luncheon, hosted by the NOBLE San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. She also became Dr. Jonni Redick over the summer when she completed her Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Administration. Jonni's commitment to serve has extended well past her 29 years with the California Highway Patrol. In addition to teaching with the LEPSL program, she is actively involved in several professional organizations, including NOBLE - National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, where she is currently the national co-chair of the NOBLE Highway Traffic Safety Committee, past national Chair of the Education and Training Committee, and national Chair of the Officer Safety and Wellness Committee. She is also a National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, IACP, and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) member. But mostly, Jonni connects with people, lifting them up and helping them envision a life and career they may not have dared to dream for themselves. And she helps organizations provide more supportive cultures, creating environments where people feel valued, respected and encouraged. Please follow Jonni on LinkedIn, and google her name for access to her content. We know you will enjoy her many articles on leadership that are published on Police1 and elsewhere, as well as the numerous podcast interviews and discussions she has participated in. If you have had Jonni as an instructor in LEPSL, have seen her speak, or if you have read one of her articles, please help us honor her here by saying a few kind words about your experience here. Thank you, Jonni, for all the many ways you are making a difference. We are so grateful to have you on our faculty. #LEPSLClassof2018 University of San Diego

It's our pleasure to announce that the Fall 2024 LEPS540 awardees of the prestigious Phillip Collum Award for Leadership & Academics have been selected by their respective faculty members. These students have demonstrated academic excellence, demonstrated mentorship to their peers, and have engaged robustly in course discussions. The LEPSL program is better because of students like these, and it is our honor to celebrate them. Congratulations! 🎉🎉 👊Lt. Michael Ciulla, Rochester Police Department 👊Agent Christopher Conde, Palo Alto PD 👊Deputy Chief Dana Coston (Dana C.), Cape Coral Police Department 👊Lt. Lindsey Goesch, Elk Grove PD 👊Investigator Denise Joseph (Denise J.), Kaiser Permanente 👊Lt. Jamison Maehler (Jamison M.), Seattle Police Department 👊Chief Tim Rodwell, Fremont Police Department 👊Sgt. Tristan Ward, ECU Health Police Department